Spanish judge asks British police to arrest former Eta convict

British police were asked yesterday to find and arrest one of Spain's most controversial former terrorists, the former Eta member Iñaki de Juana Chaos, after he failed to appear at a Spanish court.

De Juana Chaos, who was freed from prison in August after serving sentences for 25 killings, was last reported to be in Belfast. "According to Interpol he is either in Ireland or Northern Ireland using a false name," Eloy Velasco, a Spanish magistrate, said yesterday while giving his reasons for issuing a European arrest warrant.

Velsaco is investigating allegations that one of the first things De Juana Chaos did after his release was to write a letter to be read out in public at a street demonstration in his honour, inciting people to terrorism.

Eta supporters blocked off a street in the Basque city of San Sebastian to prevent journalists hearing the contents of the letter handed over by De Juana Chaos, to be read in his name, in which, amongst other things, a call was made to continue the armed struggle, the magistrate said.

Kevin R Winters, a Belfast solicitor, reportedly wrote on Friday to Interpol on De Juana Chaos's behalf saying he had no intention of appearing before the Spanish court yesterday morning.

The former terrorist, who had a passport request denied by the Spanish embassy in Dublin two months ago, reportedly said he was prepared to give evidence by videolink. Winters did not return calls from The Guardian yesterday.

Reports in Spanish newspapers have suggested that De Juana Chaos has received the support of militant republicans after spending most of the last three months in Ireland and Northern Ireland.

The address he gave on his passport application, in the Milltown area of Dublin, was also being used by one of three republicans sought by Colombia after being convicted of helping Farc rebels there.

El Mundo newspaper said one of the so-called Colombia Three, James Monaghan, lived at the same address in Dublin.

De Juana Chaos earned a reputation as one of Eta's most ruthless members when he led a unit that carried out a series of shootings and bomb attacks in Madrid in the 1980s.

He kept up his notoriety during his 21 years in jail with flamboyant celebrations when Eta units killed politicians, judges, journalists or members of the security services.

Eta victims groups, who are well-organised and have political influence in Spain, are among those demanding his return to jail under a Spanish law that bans anyone from making an "apology for terrorism".